Ground anchor or deadman



`)une 9, 1942. L, M BLANCHARD 2,285,889

GROUND ANCHOR OR DEADMAN Filed July 21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l @i I 5gg June 9, 1942. L M BLANCHARD 2,285,889

GROUND ANCHOR ORI DEADMAN Filed July 2l, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Snventor W fmme E,

Patented June 9, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE zzssm GROUND ANcnoa on iii-:Anm moya M. mamma, cima, Kans. Application .my zi, 1941, sei-a1 No. 403,294 4 clams. (Cl. 18s-sz) This invention relates to ground anchors for guy wires or similar equipment, and has for its l general object to producen. device of this kind which can be withdrawn from a bore hole after use without the necessity for excavating to re cover the tool. One of the chief objects of the invention is to provide a tubular casing closed at its opposite ends and having a slotted wall, whereby a housing is formed from which the ground engaging nukes may be projected, and

into which the flukes can be withdrawn, leaving no projections to interfere with the removal of the tool by pulling it out of a bore hole.

Another object of the invention is to provide a totally enclosed structure of the general nature described, in which the operating parts are protected or housed from contact with the earth which might collect or wedge behind the ilukes and interfere with the withdrawal thereof when it was desired to contract the device.

Another object of the invention is to produce a construction in which the load, on the forcing of the ilukes into the earth, is not carried by the hinge pins of the ukes, but is transmitted through a heel formed on the pivoted end of each of the iiukes.

A further object of the invention is to produce a construction of the general nature indicated above, provided with a sectional rod to extend from the tool to the ground surface, whereby the tool can lbe sunk to any desired depth, and the guy wire receiving rod shortened as necessary depth and angle of the bore hole.

With the general objects named in view and others as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and organization of parts as hereinafter describedv and claimed; and in order that it may be fully'understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of an anchor embodying the invention as it will appear when positioned within a bore hole, a pair of oppomte iiukes `being shown in side elevation in retracted position, and being shown in dotted linesin projected position.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the anchor as it may appear as the ilukes start to project.

Figure3isacrosssectiononthelineIlI-III ofliigureLbutonthesamescaleasli'igureZ.

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line IV-IV of Figure 2.

may be lengthened orv in accordance with the v within the casing, is a nut I4,

llongitudinally extending slots` I3 the ukes take the full Figure 5 is an inverted plan view of the anchor with the ilukes expanded to their full extent.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the flukes.

Figure 7 is an inner ilukes.

In the said drawings, where like reference characters identify corresponding parts in all of the gures, I is a tubular casing or shell closed at its lower end by a plug 2 having a curved conical guide face 3 within the casing, and a convex bottom outer face 4 having a transverse projecting iin or web 5 to be embedded in the ground at the bottom of a bore hole. This n 5 establishes a resistance point to prevent rotation of the casing I in the bore hole, until the ilukes (hereinafter identified) have been expanded to bite into the earth. The upper end of the cylinder I may be screw threaded and locked by a set screw Ia as shown, or may be otherwise attached, to a solid head 6 of more or less conical form. The head 6 is formed with a passageway rotatably receiving a rod 1, which has its lower end stepped as at 8 in a socket 9 in the bottom of plug 2 to constitute a journal support. In order that the load may be placed on the head 6 in withdrawing the device from a bore hole, the head is formed with a large socket III receiving an enlarged shoulder bearing portion Il formed on the rod 'I. The bearing portion II is locked in the socket by a screw threaded plug I2, held Vsecure by a set screw I2a, or the rod l may be secured in some other suitable way.

The casing I is provided with a series of spaced (four being Threaded on the rod, provided `with a series of rounded heel ends I5a of a series of flukes I5 which are pivoted to the nut on pins I6. The outer surfaces I 5b of the rear ends of the ilukes are tangential to their heels I5a and are curved transversely to t within the cylinder chamber as will hereinafter appear. The-pivotal relation is such that the nut I4 and face view of one of the shown in the drawings).

into the housing.

Each of the pivoted ilukes I5 is, by preference, of T-shape in cross section. 'Ihe slots Il are shorter than the ilukes so that when the nut Il is withdrawn until it abuts the head i, the pivoted ends of the ukes are drawn into the non-slotted upper end or the casing I, and the latter, by guiding contact, with the outer sides of the heels of the nukes, locks theukes parallel to the vrod 1 and holds them against outward .swinging movement on their pivot pins li.

The opposite or ground engaging ends of the ylinkes I5 are formed with curved surfaces l1 for yengagement with conical guide or deilecting surfaces 3 of the plug 2 so that the nukes will be expanded outwardly into the soll as the nut Il travels downwardly when the rod l is rotated in the proper direction. When the flukes IS are to be retracted, it will be clear that reverse turning of .rod l will cause the nui', 1I to travel more or less freely upwardly without appreciable resistance Ithrough ycontact of the flukes with any part of the casing, until the nut has passed some distance into the chamber at the upper unslotted fend of the casing, at `which time contact of the tend lof Athe slots l! with the hacks of the iiukes, will for the first time exert, a load tending to swing the dukes back into the casing. This particular construction is of essential advantage since it greatly increases the leverage tending to close the flukes, and thus avoids undue stress on `the pivotI pins I6. With the construction shown, :it will be evident that the operatingv parts are substantially protected against earth contact should the bore hole above the tool cave in before it is vtime to pull the tool for transfer to :a new location.

It will also be apparent that although the rod Tl may-be made suiliciently long to extend to the surface of the ground to receive the end of a guy wire or lother instrumentality, the preened construction is to provide an extensible rod lso that bore holes of varying depth may be readily accommodated. For this purpose, the rod l terminates just beyond the head of the casing in a cross groove I8. A series of intermediate sectional rods 2|! of suitable length (one only appearing) having their opposite ends respectively terminating in male .and female connections, such as tongues 2l and grooves 22, are provided, the nal section of the assembly 'being an eye bolt section 23 having a tongue on its lower end. The interlocking ends of the sections are each provided with threaded portions 12|, and when the rod has been assembled, the interlocked ends are screw threaded into enclosing sleeves 25 to lock the parts together.

With this construction it will be evident that the rod in eiiect becomes one piece so that it may be safely rotated in either direction, as

well as hold an axial load or pull.

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have produced a construction which embodies all of the features of advantage set :forth as desirable, and While I' have described and illustrated the preferred embodiment it is to be understood that I reserve the right to all changes within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. .An expanding guy anchor comprising a rod provided at one end with means for securing a guy wire, a tubular casing axially receiving one end of the rod and fixed thereto against longitudinal movement, said casing being formed with a series of spaced slots,' a portion of the rod within the casing being threaded, a nut within the casing threaded on the rod, and a series of ilukes hinged to the nut and moving in and out of lthe slots in the casing in response to movement of the nut, the hacks of the dukes sub 'stantially coinciding with and closing the casing slots when the fiukes are in retracted position.

2. An expanding guy anchor comprising a cylindrical casing closed at its opposite ends by a'plug and a head, a socket in said head and a bearing in the plug, a threaded rod rotatably extending through the head and having its lower end journaled in the plug bearing, a circumferential shoulder on the rod journaled in the head socket and locked therein against movement longitudinally thereof, a series of spaced slots in the wall of the casing, a travelling nut threaded on said rod, and a series of nukes hinged to the nut and having guide surfaces in contact with the casing to project and withdraw the :dukes on longitudinal travel of the nut.

3. An expanding guy anchor comprising a cylindrical casing closed at its opposite ends by a plug and a head, a iin projecting from the exterior of the plug for earth embedment, a socket in said head and a bearing in the plug, a threaded rod rotatably extending through the head and having its lower end journaled in the plug bearing, a circumferential shoulder on the rod journaled in the head socket and locked therein against movement longitudinally thereof, a series of spaced slots in the Wall of the casing, a vtravelling nut threaded on said rod, and a `series of :linkes hinged to the nut and having guide surfaces in contact with the casing to project and withdraw the iiukes on longitudinal travel of the nut.

4- An expanding guy .anchor comprising a sectional rod consisting of a number of units non-rotatably interlocked together, one end section having means for securing a guy wire, a tubular casing axially receiving the other! end section of the rod and xed thereto against longitudinal movement, said casing being formed with a series of spaced slots, a portion of the rod within the casing being threaded, a nut within the casing threaded on the rod, and a series of :dukes hinged to the nut and moving in and out of the slots in the casing in response to movement of the nut the backs of the dukes substantially coinciding with and closing the casing slots when the :linkes are in retracted position.

LLOYD M. BLANCHARD. 

